FAQ
How can I tell the difference between a cold and influenza?
Can the influenza vaccine give you influenza (the flu)?
Why do healthy people need influenza immunisation?
When should people get vaccinated?
Where can I get the vaccination?
Can the vaccination be given to children?
Can influenza vaccine be given to pregnant women?
Can influenza vaccine be given to a woman who is breast-feeding?
Flu Vaccine and Febrile Convulsions
How do they know which influenza virus will hit New Zealand?
Which strains of the influenza virus are covered by this year’s vaccine?
How effective is the vaccine for healthy adults?
How long after vaccination does it take to start providing protection?
Does the vaccination contain thiomersal or mercury?
Does the seasonal vaccine protect you from pandemic influenza?
Ask your doctor or nurse about influenza immunisation
What is influenza?
Influenza (or ‘the flu’) is caused by three types of influenza virus – A, B and C that infect the respiratory system. Influenza is contagious and is spread by coughing, sneezing and direct contact with an infected person or by touching a contaminated surface.
Influenza virus can be a serious illness that is sometimes fatal. Infection with the influenza virus may lead to a stay in hospital for any age group but particularly if you are elderly or have an ongoing medical condition. Influenza can make an exiting medical condition such as asthma or diabetes, a lot worse.
Influenza continues to be a major threat to public health world wide because of its ability to spread rapidly through populations.
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How can I tell the difference between a cold and influenza?
Influenza can be a much more serious illness than a common cold. Influenza can leave you ill for up to 10 days. Most people suffer from a high fever, tiredness and may require bed rest. Some may also suffer shivering attacks, muscular pains, headaches, a dry cough and vomiting. Complications, like pneumonia can follow. Immunisation against influenza is the best protection.
A cold has much less severe symptoms and generally lasts 2-4 days. High fever is less common and shivering attacks and severe headaches are rare. Muscular pains and vomiting are infrequent and the cough is less severe. There is no vaccine available for colds.
Influenza virus is different from a cold virus. A cold virus infects only the nose, throat and upper chest and only lasts for a few days.
Can the influenza vaccine give you influenza (the flu)?
No. You cannot get influenza from the vaccine. Many people confuse colds with influenza. Many other viruses are also present throughout the year, so people may catch a different respiratory infection with ‘flu-like’ symptoms and unfairly blame the influenza vaccine or influenza virus. Sometimes people can catch influenza before the vaccine has had time to generate protection (about two weeks).
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Why do healthy people need influenza immunisation?
Being fit and healthy will not protect you from influenza. Influenza spreads easily and by immunising against influenza you can protect yourself and lesson the chance of bringing it home to a baby, older relative or someone with a medical condition who could develop serious complications from influenza.
When should people get vaccinated?
Vaccinate as soon as possible after the vaccine becomes available (vaccine is usually available from March). It takes up to two weeks to develop immunity. Ideally, you should be vaccinated before the main influenza activity in May to September. High risk individuals can be immunised any time during the influenza season, but the vaccine is only free until the end of July.
Where can I get the vaccination?
a) Eligible people can get a free vaccination from their General Practice, and it is usually the practice nurse who administers the vaccine. The vaccine is injected into the upper arm. For children 6 months to 15 months, it is injected into the upper thigh.
b) Those not eligible for free vaccination: influenza vaccination is available from your local General Practice, Accident and Medical Center or workplace Occupational Health Service. Please contact your provider regarding vaccination charges.
Can the vaccination be given to children?
Yes. The vaccination is approved for children six months and over and is especially recommended if they have ongoing medical condition such as being on a preventive medication for asthma. Check with your doctor for details.
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Can influenza vaccine be given to pregnant women?
Yes. The seasonal influenza vaccine is strongly recommended for women who will be pregnant during the influenza season. Where possible, vaccines are usually given only in the second and third trimesters because vaccination with the influenza vaccine has been shown to be highly beneficial for pregnant women and their unborn babies. New Zealand is not alone in this recommendation, influenza vaccination for all pregnant women is currently recommended by health authorities in the USA, Australia and many European countries. From 2011, immunisation will be free to pregnant women wishing to have the influenza vaccine.
Experience from previous seasonal influenza outbreaks and the 2009/2010 pandemic shows that pregnant women are at greater risk from complications associated with influenza. This is due to the many physical and physiological changes seen during pregnancy, including immunosuppression due to impaired cell-mediated immunity. Maternal influenza infection has been associated with an increased risk of maternal hospitalisation, fetal malformation and other illnesses.
Additionally, vaccination of pregnant women against influenza has been shown to decrease the incidence of influenza in their new-born babies. Influenza in young infants often prompts hospitalisation and can predispose infants to bacterial pneumonia or otis media.
Pregnant Women and Influenza Vaccination FAQs
(Safety of influenza vaccination during pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gyn. 2009;201(6):547-552) click here for article.
BMJ – Critical illness due to 2009A/H1N1 influenza in pregnant and postpartum women: population based cohort study – click here for article.
The ANZIC influenza Investigators and Australasian Maternity Outcomes Surveillance System
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Can infuenza vaccine be given to a woman who is breast-feeding?
Yes. The vaccine may be safely given to woman who is breast-feeding.
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How do they know which influenza virus will hit New Zealand?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) takes influenza very seriously. Each year the WHO Information Surveillance Network studies the different strains of influenza and monitors their movements around the globe. They then decide which strains of the virus are likely to emerge in different parts of the world and develop vaccinations for them.
Which strains of the influenza virus are covered by this year’s vaccine?
The influenza virus has many types. Each year the World Health Organisation makes recommendations for the strains that are in the influenza vaccine and the strains that should be circulating around New Zealand. This year’s vaccine includes:
- A/California/7/2009(H1N1) – like virus
- A/Perth/16/2009(H3N2) – like virus
- B/Brisbane/60/2008 – like virus
The vaccine cannot give you influenza as it only contains fragments of the virus. The vaccine stimulates the immune system to make antibodies that protect against circulating viruses. Most people have no reaction to the vaccine. Occasionally the site where the vaccination was given is red or sore for a day or two. Some people may feel unwell for a day or two. These are normal responses to the immunisation.
We’ve provided a copy of the After Your Influenza Immunisation to download.
How effective is the vaccine for healthy adults?
Influenza vaccination is about 80% effective in preventing infection with influenza A and B viruses in healthy adults under 65 years of age, when there is a good match between vaccine and circulating influenza strains.
How long after vaccination does it take to start providing protection?
It takes up to two weeks for the vaccine to start providing protection.
Does the vaccination contain thiomersal or mercury?
No. It does not contain thiomersal (or any other mercury product).
Does the seasonal vaccine protect you from pandemic influenza?
Yes. The 2011 seasonal influenza vaccines do contain the Pandemic (H1N1) – swine flu strain.
Ask your doctor or nurse about influenza immunisation
Make sure you give yourself and your family the best protection against influenza.
Or for more information phone 0800 IMMUNE (0800 466 863)
